


Kintsugi

by landminecat



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Captain America Sam Wilson, F/M, Fix-It, Hurt Vision (Marvel), M/M, Minor Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers, One-Sided James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers - Freeform, Other, Past Bruce Banner/Natasha Romanov - Freeform, Past Wanda Maximoff/Vision - Freeform, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Post-Endgame, Stark Industries, Vision (Marvel) Feels, Vision-centric (as in I love him okay)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:41:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23791741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/landminecat/pseuds/landminecat
Summary: Kintsugi - Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold; a philosophy to treat breakage and repair as part of the history of an object.After defeating Thanos and getting back to everyday life it’s hard to forget everything the world has been through. Everybody grieves and copes in their own way, trying to settle into this new world regardless of its current shape. Two years after the dust settles Shuri decides to remedy the one thing she still can’t get over - the death of Vision, whom she was unable to help and still regrets this fact deeply.Incidentally, her idea leads to mending so much more than just one broken mind and body.See notes for more details.
Relationships: Bruce Banner/Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton/Wanda Maximoff, Jarvis (Iron Man movies)/OFC, Nakia (Black Panther)/T'Challa, OFC/OMC, Shuri & OFC (Best Friends Forever), Vision & OFC, Vision & OMC, Wanda Maximoff/Vision
Comments: 6
Kudos: 12





	1. T Minus Everything

**Author's Note:**

> So I have been rewatching all the MCU movies during self-isolation and I finally decided to write something for the fandom. I also noticed that my favourites Vision and Shuri are not getting enough love and I decided to do something about that.  
> I hope you enjoy this story! I have it planned for 12 chapters, this one is the shortest as it's just an introduction. Get ready for tearful reunions, heartwarming memories and deep conversations about those that have been loved and lost.
> 
> With this fanfiction, I wanted to explore a few ideas I had during the rewatch. First of all, the reconstruction of Vision and the implications it would have for the entire team. Second of all - as much as I adore Clint and his family, I believe that after the events of Endgame it might be hard for him to go back to the way his life was before - and it might be just as hard for his wife, seeing that Clint did indeed change a lot during these five years. As they both suffered incredible loss, I wanted to try and write about Clint and Wanda growing closer together and eventually becoming much more than friends. Third of all - given my area of expertise (creative use of technology) I just can't get over how awesome Stark Industries are and how much I would like to work for them, so prepare for some nerdy ramblings. Last but not least - I wanted to explore different ways people handle grief and despair, how hard it might be to move on and how important it is to make hard decisions. I really hope you're going to enjoy what I have planned for the story! :)

_"But a thing isn't beautiful because it lasts."_

Vision, "Age of Ultron"

***

T’Challa was surprised to notice a message from his sister, Shuri, urging him to come and talk to her in the lab. He was busy for an entire day attending various meetings and holding a weekly war council, and yet something told him that what she wanted to talk about was so much more important than all that. Excusing himself two hours into one of the conferences he made his way to the lab as fast as he could, making sure to reassure the Dora Milaje that yes, everything was fine, he just needed to talk to his sister.

Thing is, Shuri hasn’t been herself lately. She seemed less focused, more frantic, easily irritated. She was always short-tempered and full of herself, he had to give her that; yet the recent changes in her demeanor made him wonder what exactly she was thinking about. He knew she wasn’t sleeping well, he knew that she spent more time in front of her computers than she usually did. And yet whenever he asked, she would just make up a general excuse or brush it all off as being tired. But he knew. He knew that wasn’t the case. They were all tired, the war still heavy in their bones and rooted deep in their memories, but this was something else. He knew that she was being eaten up by regret. He had some ideas as to why, but he would wait for her to be ready to talk about it. He would never just _ask_.

He was really hoping the time was finally right.

As soon as he entered the lab he noticed Shuri curled up in one of the soft armchairs, no usual smile on her lips. She was indifferent, with bags under her eyes. He felt his heart sink at the sight and was immediately by her side, sitting on one of the armrests and kissing her forehead affectionately.

„I’m here, dear sister,” he said, trying to reassure her with a smile, „And I’m all yours. Please tell me why you wanted to see me.”

The smile on Shuri’s lips was faint, but it was there, which was at least some progress.

„Thank you, brother. I wasn’t sure you’d come, with all the war meetings and such.”

„You know I’ll always make time for you.”

„I do.”

Silence fell between them again, but it was calm as always, welcome, easy to drown in. They didn’t have to talk to each other to know what either of them wanted to say. This time, however, T’Challa was really at a loss as to what might be going on in his little sister’s mind. Too many factors to consider, not enough input to process.

„I have been thinking, brother,” she said, sighing deeply and reaching for a cup of tea standing on a table next to her, „And there is something I want to do. It’s very important for me. But it’s not going to be easy and I’m going to need your help.”

T’Challa tried to make sure that his expression was as soft as possible, not wanting to upset Shuri in any way. He wanted her to know that he would move the Earth and the heavens if it would only help her feel better. So there was only one possible way to answer to that.

„Of course, dear sister. I will do whatever you need.”

This time, the smile on her face was so warm that for a while he felt like talking to the old Shuri, the one who never lost her attitude, the one who never failed and never gave up.

Well, at least not until Thanos.

„I have been putting an agenda together for the past month or so,” she started, reaching for a small tablet, „And I have finally found a way to make up for the most fatal mistake of my life. I have all the resources listed here and all the people I would need to help me do it. I need you to sign off on this so I can start the actual work.”

She handed him the tablet and he suddenly felt like he was submerged in ice cold water, suddenly freezing and unable to breathe. He had a few things in his mind, yes. But this? This list? He knew what this was about. Damn, he should have known.

„Shuri, sweetheart,” he spoke softly, taking his sister’s hand in his. „I understand what you are trying to do. I really do. But none of this was your fault. I just want you to know that.”

A tiny shadow of irritation passed through her features and he felt the ice again, this time sinking into his heart.

„Of course it was, brother. I wasn’t fast enough. If I were, he would have never died. And even if he did, we would be able to bring him back with the Stones. But because my _damn slow hands_ were not enough, he had to die _twice_.”

She looked at him then, the anger and intensity of her gaze almost burning. He hated to see her this way.

„I’m sorry, sister. I didn’t want to be disrespectful. But you did what you could with whatever resources you were given. Nobody holds anything against you.”

 _But I do,_ her eyes seemed to scream. _I do because I let him down._

„Well yeah, he can’t hold anything against me because he’s _dead_. So I’m going to bring him back. I already have a plan.”

T’Challa looked at the tablet then, eyeing the list more carefully.

„Are you sure? I can provide the resources, but what about the body and mind? And what about the… soul?”

„I have it all planned out,” she said, moving her hand to activate one of the screens in front of her, showing different schematics. „All I have are the strands I isolated from his mind when I was working on him, but there are people who will be able to help me. From Stark Industries. I want to bring them over to help me with the core. As for the body… I’m not sure I’ll be able to repair it, so I might have to build a new one. But I will try. If we act according to my plans, we’re going to end up with a version of Vision from just before he was killed. Which means he will still have more than 99% of his memories.”

She was speaking fast, obviously hooked on the idea. T’Challa had to admit that she did seem sure of what she was saying.

„Listen, sister, I’m not saying that it’s a bad idea. But why this? Why now? I understand what you’re trying to do, it’s just… Thanos has been gone for more than two years. We are finally getting back on track with our lives. Why now?”

As soon as he saw the look in her eyes he realized that he asked the wrong question.

„It’s not just _now_ , brother. I have been thinking about it for the past two years, doing research, looking into all the possibilities. I just… I was never ready. And you know… if there’s something you _can_ do, you _should_ do it, right? Not doing it would make you even more guilty.”

He wanted to repeat that she’s not guilty, that none of this was her fault. But he already knew better than that.

„So you think you’ll be able to bring him back?”

„Yes.”

„Fully?”

„Yes.”

„Alright then,” he sighed, reaching for a tablet to sign off on the project. „You have my full support. But I believe we owe some explanation to his friends.”

„We do. I will talk to them as soon as the team from Stark Industries gets here. For now though… I have to place a ton of orders and go through hundreds of parts, so if you’ll excuse me, I’ll get back to work.”

With that, she stood up from the armchair and to T’Challa’s surprise she immediately looked different. More confident. Better.

„Wait, Shuri. I think you owe me something in return.”

She looked at him, puzzled, but as soon as she realized what he was talking about she smiled the first genuine smile he’s seen on her face in more than a year.

She walked over to him and wrapped him in a tight hug, resting her head on his shoulder.

„Thank you, brother,” she said, her voice almost back to normal. „You have no idea how much this means to me.”

„Actually, I think I do,” he smiled, patting her on the back. „Just please make sure not to overwork yourself.”

„You know that’s not possible.”

„Not helping your case, Shuri.”

As soon as she let go and got back to her research room, he knew he made the right decision in letting her work on this. There was just this tiny underlying feeling of uncertainty in regard to the actual result. She mush have known what she was talking about if she spent two years working on this. He had no reason not to trust her, she was the genius of the family and if she said that she can do it, she obviously could. And yet there was this nagging feeling in his skull, this _worry_. Something he couldn’t easily describe.

He had to talk to the Avengers about this. Or whatever was left of them.

***

„She wants to do _what_?!”

The first person T’Challa called was the one he knew best. Bucky Barnes. Sitting in his bedroom late in the afternoon, he quickly selected Bucky’s contact information on his phone, guiltily acknowledging the fact that their last conversation was held more than two months earlier.

„She wants to rebuild Vision, Bucky.”

„Yeah, I heard you. I just… is it even possible?”

„Apparently so. She has been looking into it for the last two years and boom, today she comes to me and says that she can do it. With a team, yes, but she can actually make it work.”

„That’s actually the best news I’ve had in, like, a year,” T’Challa could hear Bucky’s smile in his voice and it made him smile too. „That would be the second best thing to happen ever since we beat Thanos. Man, I really hope she can do it. Not that I don’t believe in her, I just… it sounds so surreal, you know.”

„Yeah, believe me, I do,” now it was T’Challa’s turn to laugh. „Still. She feels responsible for his death. She says it’s because of her that he had to die. I told her that it’s not true and that there’s only one asshole responsible for all this, namely Thanos, but I believe doing this might actually help ease her conscience. I just…”

He paused. Bucky noticed immediately.

„You just…?”

„I just hope that she’s not exaggerating. You know, not getting her hopes up. I really want to believe that she can do it, I do, it’s just… I don’t know what would happen if she fails. I don’t think I want to know.”

The silence that fell between them was full of understanding. T’Challa could almost imagine Bucky nodding in agreement.

„T’Challa, you know her best. But if my opinion means anything, here goes. If there’s anyone out there who can do it, it’s her. Trust her. She might be emotional about this, but she’s a _genius_. She didn’t come to you immediately after he died, or immediately after we got rid of Thanos. She came to you now, prepared, sure of what she could accomplish. I think that speaks volumes, actually.”

Bucky was right. He did worry about Shuri, he always did, but it was _Shuri of all people_. If anyone could do it, it was her. And she was _definitely_ prepared.

„I know,” he said after a while, smiling to himself. „I guess I just had to say it out loud and have someone tell me that I’m being stupid. Thank you, Bucky. It means a lot.”

„Don’t mention it. And hey, if there’s anything I can do to help, don’t hesitate to contact me. I may not be an engineer, but at least I can provide emotional support.”

„That’s more than I could ever ask for.”

„Well, you know where to find me.”

When the conversation ended, T’Challa had to admit that he was feeling better. He never doubted Shuri’s abilities, that much was certain. Yet she was still his little sister, someone he wanted to protect more than anyone else in this world. He would do anything to keep her safe and sane. It also included support even during the most impossible projects she took upon herself, especially ones including bringing one synthezoid back to life.

Well then, looks like they were going to be busy for the next few months, if Shuri’s timeline for the project was anything to go by. He sat down by his desk and opened the files she sent him a few minutes earlier and well, he was not surprised. She really _was_ prepared.

Looking at the extent of her research and reviews, he smiled to himself. How could he ever doubt her?

She could _actually make this work_.


	2. Through the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was a strange thing, feeling one’s heart skip a beat. First skip one, then start beating twice as fast, almost as if to make up for the lost nanosecond. It also felt like being submerged in cold water, suddenly dulling all senses, draining the colors away from the world. Like putting cling film on everything around you. Including you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clint is a sweetheart, even if it sometimes breaks his heart.  
> Also, I want to work for Stark Industries. Do you think they're hiring?

Shuri was standing by the airfield, a tablet in one hand and a cup of coffee in another. She was restless and anxious, but it was a good feeling; something she hasn’t experienced in a while, something she actually _missed_. She had to admit that the recent events brought by a huge wave of relief that washed over her unexpectedly. It was almost as if the moment she voiced her decision to T’Challa set something free inside of her, making her break out of a stupor of sorts, coming back to life. Yes, it was a good feeling. It was the first time in over two years that she felt something akin to hope and relief. Apparently it was a good decision after all.

Not that she never had any doubts. She did, especially at the beginning. What about the Stone? Was it even possible to rebuild Vision without it? And most importantly, would he be the same person then? She didn’t understand the nature of the Stone, didn’t understand how exactly the core of Vision came to be. The mechanics were something she could figure out, but the programming, the _soul_ , as her brother put it? All she knew was that Vision came to be based on an AI created by Tony Stark, J.A.R.V.I.S. After continuous futile attempts to substitute the AI she finally gave up and decided to ask Stark Industries for help. She was a genius, yes; but not in every possible field, and besides… Tony was one too.

She sighed. There was not enough time for her to get to know him, to familiarize herself with his research the way she would have liked to. From what the people were saying he was a total jerk with a heart of gold. Something kept telling her they would have become great friends given the opportunity. Unfortunately Tony had to play the hero and save the universe from Thanos by giving his life up in the process. It sounded corny when she worded it like that in her head, but damn did she admire the man. He gave up so much to help everyone. He gave up _everything_.

The sound of an approaching quinjet brought her back to reality. As soon as the machine was preparing for landing she made her way closer to wait for her guests. Engineers from Stark Industries were arriving today and she couldn’t wait to get them up to speed and start the actual work. Judging by their dossiers, she was given the very best they could spare. Which made her even more excited in terms of what they could accomplish.

As soon as the first person emerged from the quinjet Shuri placed her coffee cup on the ground and made her way forward to greet them. The first engineer to wave at Shuri was a young woman with long hair in a messy braid on her side, wearing a designer Stark Industries uniform. Shuri had no idea they had uniforms. Good looking uniforms.

„Hello,” the woman spoke first with a soft and deep voice, reaching out to shake Shuri’s hand. „You must be Shuri. Nice to meet you. My name is Ida Watts and I’m the chief engineer of our team. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Shuri smiled. Were all Stark engineers so formal?

„Hi,” she answered with a smile, accepting the handshake gratefully. „Yes, I am. Nice to finally meet you in person. How was your flight?”

„Weird,” the woman answered. „At some point I was sure that we were going to crash into a forest, but I guess it’s nothing new to you.”

„No, it’s not. It’s still fun to watch people get scared though.”

As another two people approached Shuri and Ida, the engineer introduced them quickly.

„This is Randy Jacobsen and Elsie Hayes. We have been working as a team for years now. I believe you read the dossiers so there’s not much more I can tell you.”

Shuri nodded and shook their hands too. Yes, she did read the dossiers. In fact, she has never seen dossiers more impressive in her entire life. Drone control, advanced AI systems for the military, robotic home assistants for the elderly, independent programming of various components for the Iron Man suits… the list went on and on, each and every accomplishment more spectacular than the last. She couldn’t wait to sit down with them and ask them questions.

„And why do I not get an invitation to welcome our guests, sister?”

Surprised by the voice right behind her Shuri turned around, only to face a smug-faced T’Challa standing there.

„Dear brother,” she smiled apologetically, gesturing to the entire team. „I know how busy you are. We would have come to see you later, you know.”

„Don’t pretend to worry about me being busy,” T’Challa winked at her and turned his attention to the engineers. „Welcome to Wakanda. I’m glad to welcome you to our home.”

„Thank you, king T’Challa,” Ida said, bowing her head quickly. „It is an honor to be your guest. My name is Ida Watts and these are my co-workers, Elsie Hayes and Randy Jacobsen.”

„Now now, please don’t call me that. Just use my name, that’s more than fine. We’re all equals here, miss Watts. Now, you must be tired, please allow us to escort you to your quarters.”

„Yes,” Shuri interrupted. „I have scheduled a briefing in three hours to give you some time to rest, if that’s okay.”

„Thank you,” this time it was Randy’s turn to speak. „Just, uh… we have quite a lot of luggage. Could we possibly ask for some help? Especially with the most fragile equipment?”

„Certainly. Just leave it here and we’ll take care of it. I’ll ask our people to bring it directly to the lab.”

„Great, thank you,” Randy smiled a soft, pleasant smile. „Well then, lead the way, please.”

***

„When they said Wakanda was far more advanced than we thought, I still didn’t expect _this_.”

Ida, Randy and Elsie were sitting in a common room linking their separate bedrooms, getting ready for the briefing. Still, Ida couldn’t help but run around and touch every single panel she should find.

„Their technology is something else entirely,” Randy looked at her over the cup of tea he was drinking from. „Can you imagine how advanced the world would be now if we all used vibranium the way they do? I mean, they hit the jackpot with this.”

„I can’t and I don’t plan to, knowing myself I would get too involved and obsessed with the thought, so thank you, Randy, but no,” Ida smiled, sitting next to him. „I just hope that all those possibilities are not going to be _too_ distracting.”

„Speaking of distracting,” Elsie chimed in suddenly. „I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep here. It’s too quiet.”

„You can always play some city sounds on your phone, just like we did when we went to that abandoned factory in Russia, remember?”

„Oh no, don’t remind me. I mean, I like a little peace and quiet every now and then, but _that_? It was so quiet I couldn’t hear my own thoughts! And for two weeks straight? Ugh. Don’t want to remember that.”

Ida got more comfortable on the couch and as soon as Elsie and Randy went into their usual banter mode she picked up a tablet and started going through the briefing information she already knew by heart by then. She was surprised when they received an e-mail from Shuri, yes, because she never even dared to hope that there would be a way to do what she was planning to do. But with every single conference call and every single update she got more and more excited. Vision was, in a way, the most prominent part of Tony Stark’s legacy. The best hope for humanity. The most advanced protector they could ever hope for. She was devastated when she heard about what Thanos did to Vision, just as everyone else, but there was a personal underline she was trying not to think about too much. Randy knew how much it meant to her. He knew because he’s seen her struggle when Ultron arrived. He knew how hard of a hit losing J.A.R.V.I.S. was for her. He knew how Vision’s death was another blow that added to her despair. He knew that she lost a lifeline and then another one with Tony’s death. Too many casualties, too many losses. He also knew she would do anything if there was a possibility to remedy even a single one of those.

She would never pass on an opportunity to bring Vision back, for Tony’s and for J.A.R.V.I.S.’s sake. And for her sake too. They talked about it, they wondered, they made some plans, but they were always short somewhere, there were always parts missing that they had no way to fill. And now Shuri was here, bringing all the knowledge and abilities they have been lacking in the past. He saw Ida cry after that first conference call. He knew then that she would give up everything else just to work with Shuri. Ida was trying not to show how important it was for her, but he knew it was her metaphorical „to be or not to be”. She was a professional, yes, always efficient and a genius in her own way, but she was also painfully human, just like the rest of them. She missed Tony. They all did.

„Earth to Ida,” she suddenly heard Randy’s voice. „What do you think?”

She put the tablet away and frowned.

„About what?”

„Lunch. We should eat something. It says here that we can order directly from the royal kitchen and there’s no way I’m going to pass up on that.”

„Sure,” she smiled, suddenly feeling hungry. „I can’t wait to try some Wakandan delicacies.”

„I was thinking about burgers and fries, but hey, it’s your choice.”

Ida smiled and went through the menu, ultimately settling on a fruit salad and some local bread.

She couldn’t help but feel like this was a new beginning for all of them. A little unexpected, a little surprising. But a new beginning nonetheless.

***

Wanda woke up with the sun already high enough to warm her cheeks and paint her entire face in a golden glow, making her squint and groan under her breath. What time was it? Did she oversleep? It took her quite a few minutes to realize that first of all, it was the weekend, and second of all - she didn’t have anywhere to be so she could just relax.

She stretched under the covers, grateful for the warm rays of sunshine on her face and shoulders. She really enjoyed waking up here, in a small house in Sherbrook, nestled in a huge garden among trees and flowers. Moving to Canada has been one of her best decisions so far - the peace of mind she was able to find among the green forests was something she didn’t even know she craved until she actually had it. The quiet and the slow were all she could ever hope for, finally finding time to spend alone with her thoughts and to calm her racing mind.

She was grateful for where she was now. Grateful and no longer questioning. It took a lot, but she was finally there.

As soon as she moved to get up from the bed, strong arms wrapped around her waist and brought her back under the covers into a tight hug. She smiled when she felt soft lips and a subtle hint of stubble nuzzling the back of her neck.

„Want pancakes for breakfast?” Clint was still obviously sleepy too, yawning softly against her skin.

„Pancakes? Again?”

„Weren’t pancakes your favorite?”

„Well, yes, but we can’t eat pancakes ten days in a row.”

„Scrambled eggs? Waffles?”

„Waffles sound nice.”

Clint pressed a soft kiss into her right shoulder and sat up, stretched his arms and yawned. She turned around to look at him and smiled, noticing how messy his hair was.

„Alright then. I’ll let you know when they’re ready.”

As soon as he left for the kitchen, she buried herself in the blankets again and smiled. From the looks of it, they had another lovely day ahead of them. Another day of delicious food, taking care of the garden, reading, and - who knows? Maybe a trip to the lake Clint promised her a few days ago? They could rent a boat or maybe go fishing. She’s only been fishing three times in her entire life, but she had to admit the activity did have its appeal, especially in such an environment. So many options to choose from, never enough time to do everything she wanted.

She groaned and finally left the bed, going for a quick shower before joining Clint for breakfast. By the time she was ready he set everything up in the garden, including freshly squeezed orange juice, coffee and fresh fruit. As soon as she sat down he placed a plate of fresh waffles and maple syrup in front of her, kissing her on the forehead.

„Enjoy the meal,” he said with a grin, leaving to take his place on the other side of the table. „There’s more if you want seconds. Now, what do you want to do today? Are you still up for that trip to the lake?”

Wanda bit into the first waffle and smiled. Who would have thought Clint would be such an amazing cook. Then again, he _did_ have to cook for his kids - maybe that’s why breakfasts were his forte.

„Sure thing,” she said, picking her phone up to look at the time. 10:30. Not too bad. „Although I do have some work I want to do in the garden. I that some flowers are already sprouting. I need to take care of the weeds.”

„Alright, maybe we could go after lunch? We can pick some stuff up in the town while we’re at it. May I remind you that it’s our turn to have the kids next weekend, we probably should stock up on supplies. Mostly food. Seriously, I have no idea why they eat so much. It’s almost like they’re trying to eat their body weight in food every single time they’re here.”

Wanda giggled and returned to eating her waffle. She adored Clint’s kids and they adored her. Sure, there was some confusion at first, especially since Clint was… well, different. He’s changed. They have all changed. Nobody really knew how much they had to go through, how much they had to endure to get where they were now. This… peace, this house, it almost seemed surreal to Wanda. After all they’ve been through, all the tragedies they had to face, all the losses they had to experience, she finally had a place she could call _home_. Not just a place to stay like before, but something she could call her own. And the kids. Supposedly, the kids were not related to her in any way, just a few more strangers placed in her life by accident. But she was so surprised with how open they were, how accepting of her as a person, as Clint’s significant other. They seemed so much smarter, so much more curious than most of the adults she met along the way. It was safe to say that it was thanks to them that she felt even more welcome in this new life she was trying to build for herself.

„I’m pretty sure they take after their father,” she spoke after a moment, looking at Clint over a mug of hot coffee.

„Their father you say? Looks like I’m going to have a serious conversation with him then.”

They stayed outside for a while longer, enjoying the warm morning and coffee, talking about their plans for the weekend and for the following week. Wanda was excited about starting a job soon - she volunteered to help the elderly in one of many retirement homes in Sherbrook. She was a little nervous about that, but then again she was really good with people. At least that’s what they said. Good with people, kind, open-minded. Clint kept reassuring her that it could be a perfect match for her and she actually really wanted to do it. It took her a while to be able to open up that much, but it was worth it. She wanted to make a difference not only using her powers, but also by being a kind human being. And it was all thanks to Clint really. She owed him so much she couldn’t even begin to wrap her mind around it all.

„Oh, by the way,” she said after a moment of comfortable silence they both used to go through the messages on their phones. „I ordered some paint online, I really can’t look at that ugly fence anymore.”

Clint immediately shot a glance towards said fence, a mocking grimace of disgust present on his face.

„Oh, you’re right. It’s hideous. All _white_? I mean, who thought _white_ would be a good idea? Oh, wait. _You did_. A _month_ ago!”

He started laughing and well, his laugh _was_ infectious. Still, she didn’t want to allow him to make fun of her that easily, so she used her powers to knock his chair over and she was all over him just as his back hit the soft grass, tickling his sides relentlessly.

„That’s what you get for making fun of me,” she said, straddling his hips and still going for his sides, laughing along with him. „Now say you’re sorry or I’m going to end you right here and right now!”

„Ow, no, stop! You know I’m an old man, you’re going to break my spine! Or worse, my fragile ego!”

She didn’t let go, trying to reach for his stomach where he was especially ticklish, but Clint used her momentary hesitation to turn them around and straddle her instead, pinning her wrists to the ground above her head. She sent him an apologetic smile, knowing full well that he was much stronger than her. Still, it was always fun to wrestle for a little while.

„Truce?” She whispered, his face inches away from hers. He smiled and shook his head.

„You’re going to be the death of me. Now yes, truce is fine. But there will be no truce unless I get a kiss.”

Wanda smiled and arched her neck upwards, giving Clint’s lips a quick peck. He tasted like coffee and smelled like grass. Probably the best combination of smells she has known.

„Better?”

„You call _that_ a kiss? Well, it appears I will have some explaining to do.”

Wanda burst into a fit of giggles as Clint started kissing her neck, her forehead and her shoulders, ultimately going for her lips with a kiss so passionate it took her breath away. She could never get used to this. Clint always kissed like his life depended on it, like he wanted to convey everything he felt during that single kiss. It was amazing, but also overwhelming. Both emotionally and physically. Still, she has never been kissed like that before. To be honest, the first time it happened it _actually_ took her breath away.

When he pulled away and smiled at her, she smiled back and let him help her get up. She loved him so much. It’s been so long and so, so complicated, but she _loved him so much_.

Just as they were getting ready to clean after dinner Wanda suddenly heard her phone ring. It was an unknown number, but given the fact that only a few closest acquaintances actually had her contact information she wasn’t afraid to pick up. She sat down on the grass and took the call.

„Hello?” She said with a laugh, trying to fight off Clint’s hands reaching for her stomach to tickle her too.

„Hello Wanda, it’s Shuri. Remember me?”

Wanda blinked twice, much faster than usual. Shuri. Wakanda. Of course she remembered.

Noticing the change in her demeanor Clint immediately stopped his ministrations and placed a reassuring hand on her arm instead.

„Yes, I do.”

She couldn’t really think of anything else she could have said. Just hearing Shuri’s voice reminded her of things she really wanted to forget about. Just making a mental connection to Wakanda of all places suddenly made her heart sink.

„I’m sorry to interrupt, I just… there’s something I need to talk to you about. I’m sorry if it sounds random, I just… uh…”

„It’s fine, Shuri. Just tell me what’s going on. Is everything okay?”

She heard a long sigh on the other side of the line. She didn’t even notice that she was squeezing Clint’s hand a little too hard.

„Yes, everything is okay. I just… I needed to talk to you because there’s something I want to do. It’s complicated, it’s probably going to be a long process, but I ran all the simulations and I have the best team on site, and we’re going to, uh…”

Wanda didn’t understand a single thing Shuri was rambling about. Her mind was focused on two words. „Complicated” and „process”. She suddenly felt a cold shiver run down her spine.

„Shuri, what are you talking about?”

Another sigh, this time even deeper.

„Okay, I’m going to stop with the rambling now. We’re going to rebuild Vision.”

It was a strange thing, feeling one’s heart skip a beat. First skip one, then start beating twice as fast, almost as if to make up for the lost nanosecond. It also felt like being submerged in cold water, suddenly dulling all senses, draining the colors away from the world. Like putting cling film on everything around you. Including you.

Wanda was unable to speak, not hearing anything else Shuri said after that. She felt frozen in time, her mind unable to process what she just heard.

What did she mean by _rebuild Vision_?

„Uh, hi Shuri, it’s Clint,” Clint took the phone away from her, obviously aware of the entire conversation. „I think we’re going to have to call you back.”

„Clint, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean…”

„It’s fine, Shuri, everything’s okay. Just give her time. Please.”

„Sure. But please talk to me, okay? I’m worried.”

„Don’t be. Just… we’ll call you back.”

He immediately put the phone away and placed his hands on Wanda’s shoulders, noticing that she was shaking and tears were falling down her cheeks. It almost broke his heart to see her like this. Especially after everything they’ve been through, after they finally managed to get back on track with their lives. After finally being able to live with the burden they both had to carry.

„Wanda,” he whispered, placing a hand on her cheek. „Are you okay? Do you need to lay down?”

Wanda sighed and placed her hand on top of Clint’s, wiping the tears away with another.

„No, I’m fine. I’m just… surprised. I didn’t think this would be… possible. But he deserves it. God, he deserves it so much. I just… I never thought…”

Clint moved closer to her and placed a reassuring kiss on her forehead. She smiled.

„We can call Shuri later and ask for details, but hey, I personally think it’s amazing news. I just… know it can be a little strange. And overwhelming. Especially for you. Do you want me to talk to her? To ask for details?”

Wanda sighed. She had no idea what she did to deserve Clint and the way he took care of her, the way he loved her. But then again, some time ago she thought the same about Vision and the stolen moments they shared with one another. The first time she felt love so deep it hurt her physically every single time they were apart from each other.

And then the moment she had to watch him die. Twice. Because she was powerless compared to Thanos and his infinite power.

„No, it’s fine, we can do it later… together,” she smiled again, leaning into Clint and wrapping her arms around him. „Thank you.”

„Hey, no need to thank me. Now let’s get back home. I’ll make you some tea and we can talk, yeah? And then we can call Shuri back. How does that sound?”

Wanda stood up and stretched. Suddenly it seemed like a strange filter has been applied to the reality around her. A little dreamy, a little impossible, but also strangely hopeful.

„Great. Let’s get inside.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're curious about what exactly brought Wanda and Clint together and how it all happened - don't worry, I plan to explore this in future chapters :) chapter 3 coming soon!


	3. A Light That Never Comes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He’s not J.A.R.V.I.S., she kept repeating to herself. He is there, somewhere, but it’s not him. But it doesn’t matter. None of it was Vision’s fault and he deserved a second chance, a chance that they were miraculously able to give him. She would have done it for any other being, not only for the synthezoid. But something about this project seemed like she was doing it not only for Vision. It seemed like she was doing it for Tony, for Bruce.
> 
> But most of all, she was doing it for herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter features some more information about the engineers from Stark Industries, especially Ida and her relationship both with Tony and J.A.R.V.I.S..  
> Also, Bruce makes and appearance and I just want you to know that I love him to bits.

Ida woke up later than usual, especially compared to the last few days when she and Shuri would be up just before daybreak to start the day. Apparently her body has finally had enough and decided to ignore the alarm she set earlier. Luckily she wasn’t late by much, but it was still incredibly irritating when something was messing with her daily schedule.

She grabbed a quick breakfast, put on some comfortable clothes and left for the lab, making sure that she has all the necessary shipment information downloaded to her tablet. She needed to take care of some additional deliveries from the Stark Industries. And there was another thing she needed to do as soon as possible - or, to be precise, one phone call she had to make and it was making her surprisingly anxious.

Shuri was in the lab already, hovering over Vision’s body - or what was left of it - and making some notes on her personal laptop.

„Well well,” she smiled as soon as Ida entered the room. „Look who’s here! Had a good night’s sleep?”

„I’m so sorry,” Ida answered quickly, sitting on the other side of the table. „I have no idea what happened. I usually don’t oversleep. Apparently I overdid it.”

„You need to take care of your body, sweetheart,” Shuri pointed an accusing finger at her. „I need you here to make this work, but I don’t want you to collapse in the process.”

Ida snorted with laughter, not sure how many times she has heard those words before. Hundreds? Thousands?

„Yeah, I know. Still. I’m well rested now, which means I can jump straight into it. Where are we?”

Shuri opened one of her files on a nearby screen.

„I’m almost done with the mapping and then I’ll know how many additional parts and vibranium we’re going to need. I think we will be able to repair the body, which is a good thing, because it’s a very durable design and I’m not sure I’ll be able to come up with anything better. That leaves you… and the neural network.”

Ida nodded. She already did a lot of research regarding the way Vision’s neural network could operate based on J.A.R.V.I.S.’s old programming, the way it has been done before. Unfortunately she needed help from someone else who knew the system better than her. A lot of the data got lost along the way, especially after Ultron’s attack and integration with Vision’s mainframe. And since she couldn’t get Tony Stark, she needed the second best. Bruce Banner.

„Yes. I already have the basics set up, but I’m going to need a consultation with Bruce Banner. I promised to give him a call today to discuss his possible involvement in the project and the help he could provide us with. He wanted more details, but I believe he will be able to help.”

„Great. Do you already know if we need to substitute the Stone?”

„As far as I got I believe we don’t,” Ida looked back at her tablet, going through some notes. „The Stone was a strange construct, a mind of its own, but as much as it was connected to Vision it wasn’t essential to his operations. At first I thought it could have also served as an energy source, but no, it was just a setup for a neural network, something designed to react to certain actions, a mind of its own, if you will. Vision doesn’t need it to operate, but we need to replicate the decision tree that was used by the Stone. I can’t really do it by hand so I’m gonna need Banner to help. He worked on the Stone with Tony and he knows the extent of its complexity, so I believe he’s our best choice right now.”

„Awesome. Please tell me what Banner thinks about it. I have to go work on some substitute face plating but I’ll be right next door if you need anything.”

„Sure. Catch you later.”

With that, Shuri left and Ida turned her attention to Vision’s body laying on the table. Lifeless, cold and colorless, with a huge hole in his head where the Stone was supposed to be. His features were still frozen in shock and pain, making Ida wince a little. She only heard rumors about the fight with Thanos, but it was enough to send cold shivers down her spine. The ruthlessness, the destruction, the desperation the Avengers had to face - truth be told, she was lucky to be away from it all. But then again, was she really _away_? She did help develop some of the technology for Tony Stark to support the Iron Man suits, she was, after all, one of his most trusted employees. She sighed, memories coming back to her no matter how hard she wanted to keep them hidden. Tony was dead. Nothing was going to change it. It was just her now, her and her team, in charge of all the Stark Industries engineering projects. Of course they weren’t the only ones working on those, but they were still _in charge_. Four years ago she would’ve given everything away for the opportunity. Well, in a way she did. She was the chief engineer. And she had nothing except for that. In a way, she felt comfortable that way.

She looked at Vision again, sighing deeply, unable to keep her eyes focused. _You should meet him_ , Tony used to say. _He’s nice. He’s the sweetest and most innocent being I’ve ever known. In a way, he’s just like J.A.R.V.I.S.. Don’t you miss him? I miss him_. _Of course_ she missed him. Which was exactly why she didn’t want to meet Vision. It wasn’t that hard to avoid him anyway. She was rarely in the Tower, rarely in the Compound, almost never meeting the actual Avengers at all. She tried to focus on her work, pushing the fact that she has lost a close friend somewhere to the back of her mind. She still had Randy, she still had Elsie. J.A.R.V.I.S. was lost, gone, but then again, he was nothing more than an artificial intelligence that was used to give a mind to Vision. Everybody seemed to think so. Well, everybody except her and Tony.

She smiled to herself, remembering the good old days. All the memories were bittersweet, yes, but it was still an experience she would never trade for anything else. As much as she learned, as much as they were able to accomplish together.

If only he was still here. If only he could see how essential the work of Stark Industries has become. If only he knew. But he was gone, And with Tony gone too it was almost as if he never existed.

Except he did and she missed him so, so much.

***

**_EIGHT MONTHS BEFORE THE CREATION OF ULTRON_ **

**_STARK TOWER_ **

Ida was surprised to be called in by Tony Stark, of all people. She rarely saw the man, usually being cooped up on the second floor with other regular engineers, busy with mundane tasks that could not be entrusted to machines yet but were also not important enough for the better teams to take care of. She only spoke to Tony personally on three occasions before - once in regard to some AI work she has done before, once to work on a command system for the Iron Man drones and once because Tony wanted to know if one of her friends was available for a date. This time however he sounded angry when he contacted her through the intranet. Maybe he wanted to fire her. Why would he fire her though? She was relatively new to the company, sure, but he was the one to say that she had a bright future ahead of her. Shaking her head, she sighed and entered the elevator. Justin Hammer has been calling her every once in a while to get her to switch sides, but she _really_ didn’t want to work for him. Even if it meant earning less, Stark Industries were far superior to anything Justin could ever ask her to work on.

Approaching Tony’s office, Ida held her breath for a while. It was going to be fine. So what if he fires her? She could always start her own company again. It didn’t matter that Tony already bought them out once. Although knowing the man he would do it again just out of spite.

„Finally! Come in!”, she heard even before she was able to knock. So she took one last deep breath, opened the door and entered Tony Stark’s workshop.

To call it an office would be an understatement. It was something akin to headquarters of a spaceship or an interstellar organization dedicated to hunting criminals. So much stuff, so many projects open and laying around, screens, projections, blueprints. Her head was spinning. God, how she would love to work in such a place.

„Quit gawking and answer my question,” Tony’s words suddenly brought her back to reality. „What did you do to my J.A.R.V.I.S.?”

This question took her completely by surprise.

„Excuse me?”

„Don’t _excuse me_ here, tell me. What did you do to him? Did you find a way to mess with his code? Or override some of his protocols? What did you do and how did you do it?”

Ida was absolutely stunned. She had no idea what the man was talking about.

„I… I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mr. Stark.”

Tony rolled his eyes and sighed deeply. Ida was more and more confused.

„Sir, if I may…”, J.A.R.V.I.S.’s voice came from one of the speakers. „I can explain. Good afternoon, miss Watts.”

„Hey Jarv,” Ida smiled instinctively, both to herself and to the assistant.

„NO YOU MAY NOT,” Tony almost shouted, suddenly standing up from his chair and startling Ida even more. „You already said enough and I’m not letting you talk unless I know you have not been compromised. Go on mute.”

J.A.R.V.I.S. went silent and Ida just stood there, eyes wide open, mind unable to comprehend what exactly was going on.

„Mr. Stark, can you please tell me what this is about?”

Tony inhaled and exhaled a few times, obviously trying to calm down. Ida noticed she was automatically doing the same.

„Alright. I’m gonna tell you so you can stop pretending you don’t know what I’m talking about. I got a very _unusual_ question from J.A.R.V.I.S. today.”

„What question?”

„Do you think I’m so dum… okay, sorry. I’m really trying here. So I’m sitting here, doing my job obviously, minding my own business, J.A.R.V.I.S. keeping me company, as always. We’re talking about everything and nothing, he’s scolding me for some bullshit, and then we start talking about the drones. And as we bring up the drones,” Tony moved a little closer to Ida, obviously trying to make her more uncomfortable. „J.A.R.V.I.S. suddenly asks me _this_.”

Tony took out his phone to play an audio file. It was short, just a few seconds, but the content was far from what Ida was expecting to hear.

_„Sir,” she heard J.A.R.V.I.S.’s voice, calm and smooth as always. „May I ask you a question?”_

_„Sure J.,” it was Tony’s turn to speak. „Hit me up.”_

_„Do you know when miss Watts will be visiting again?”_

_A pause from Tony’s side._

_„Watts? Who? Why?”_

_„Ida Watts. Engineering. We spent some time together working on the drones. I would like to work with her again.”_

_„You’re trying to tell me that I’m not enough for you J.?”_

_„That’s not what I meant, Sir. However, I really enjoyed working with her and I would like to do that again.”_

_„You what?”_

_„I enjoyed working with her. Would you like me to expla…”_

_„No no no, I think I heard enough. I’m calling her in and we’re gonna have a talk here.”_

The audio file has ended and Tony sent an accusatory glare towards Ida.

The woman in question was still unable to understand what exactly Tony was asking of her.

„So?” He said after a while, obviously irritated with her lack of response. „What did you do to him?”

Ida frowned.

„I didn’t do anything outside of my duties. All I ever did while we were working on the drones was _my job_. And you know this, Sir, because you signed off on it.”

„I did?” The question made Ida frown even more. „Alright, let’s leave the drones out of it for a while. You were here, you worked on the drones, you had access to J.A.R.V.I.S. for support. Walk me through every interaction you two had, because I swear to Thor if I _ever_ hear him say that he _enjoyed_ something again I’m going to throw myself off the tower.”

„What exactly do you mean?” Ida asked, genuinely surprised with the question. „Weren’t you the one who programmed him and created every single interaction scenario for the protocols? I should be asking you about the meaning of all this, not the other way around,” she was starting to feel irritated, but remembered that it was her boss she was talking to and that he could still fire her. „Sir,” she added, just to be on the safe side.

Tony rolled his eyes again, probably pretending to not have heard what she just said.

„Every. Single. Interaction,” he repeated through gritted teeth. „Now.”

Ida opened her mind to speak, but a thought suddenly ran through her head.

Oh God.

He wasn’t angry, he was _scared_.

„Mr Stark,” she started after a while, the tone of her voice suddenly very different. „Is it… did you call me here because you believe that J.A.R.V.I.S.’s deep learning algorithms might be pushing his learning abilities outside of his boundaries? Is that why I’m here? Because you want to confirm this? Because he is learning about… emotions?”

Tony’s eyes suddenly widened, confirming her suspicions even before he answered. So it wasn’t about her doing something wrong. It was about J.A.R.V.I.S. getting out of his shell. Like a hermit crab.

„You’re smart,” he said after a while, pointing a finger at her. „How long have you been working for me? A month?”

„Two years, Mr. Stark. You bought my company two years ago.”

„Did I? Well, I guess it’s about time I gave you a promotion then. I need to keep an eye on J.A.R.V.I.S. You see, at first he was supposed to be a simple voice assistant I could use to manage my office and my workshop. But I did tamper with his code here and there. I might have included some… algorithms I created myself that imitate different thought processes. I did it a while ago and observed, but there was no indication of change. Until today. It was the first time I heard J.A.R.V.I.S. say that he _enjoyed_ something. Unfortunately for you, he said it was your company, so I’m afraid you’re going to have to be stuck with him for a while. Which is good, because there’s still some work to be done on the drones and I need someone _capable_. But I will need you to report on his behavior. You heard that, J.A.R.V.I.S.? You’re gonna have to _behave_. You can come off mute now.”

„Sir,” J.A.R.V.I.S. spoke suddenly. Was it a hint of _offence_ Ida was picking up in his voice? „With all due respect, I could have answered your question myself. There was no need to make miss Watts leave her work for this.”

„No, J., I believe there was a need. And you should be glad, she will be be spending more time with you now. Aren’t you _happy_? _Thrilled_? _Overjoyed_?”

„I am happy, Sir.”

„Good. Now tell me. What was it that made you _enjoy_ your work with Ida?”

„The hedgehog’s dilemma.”

Tony looked surprised and Ida barely contained a laugh.

„What exactly do you mean by that?”

„It’s  a metaphor for the dilemma humans are faced with in their intimate relationships with others. It originates in a parable narrated by Schopenhauer and is…”

„That’s _not_ what I mean. I know _what_ it is. _Why_ did you enjoy it?”

„We talked about it. Miss Watts kept complaining about her co-workers. I gave her some advice in reference to the hedgehog’s dilemma. She thanked me. I made a joke and she laughed. We watched a short film about cute porcupines making funny sounds while they eat and made some more jokes.”

Ida barely stifled a laugh. It was genuinely funny and J.A.R.V.I.S. was a very entertaining conversation partner. She was actually sad to have to go back to her workshop when they were done with the drones. The work they did there was much more interesting than any other mundane task she had to put up with on the second floor.

„You _laughed at his joke_?” It was a few moments after this that Ida realized Tony was talking to her again. „Oh God. You do realize that his sense of humor is terrible and that makes yours terrible too?”

„I prefer to think of it as _intricate_ ,” she answered and Tony rolled his eyes for the third time this afternoon.

„Alright then, I have to go back to work. Ida, could you please come back to work on the drones starting next week? I have to get the paperwork ready. And the raise. In case you didn’t realize, I just promoted you. Don’t know to _what_ yet, but Pepper will figure it out. I believe I can leave the Iron Legion work to you for a while then, yes?”

„Of course, Mr. Stark,” Ida was quick to answer. „I’ll do what I can. Just please provide me with the work scope so that I can prepare.”

„Will do. Now shoo. I have to get back to Mark 42. Or was it Mark 43?”

„Mark 40, Sir,” J.A.R.V.I.S. was fast to answer. „We updated the registry yesterday.”

Ida decided to leave before Tony Stark changed his mind and decided to not promote her after all. She did realize her work spoke for itself, but she was also willing to take any possible chance to actually show what she was capable of. She couldn’t stop feeling that with this task Tony was giving her an opportunity she might not have had otherwise. If she succeeds with the Iron Legion, there might be more in store for her in terms of important project. Truth be told, she didn’t really care about the raise and the promotion. She could still be called a _junior_ for all she knew. What mattered was that she was finally getting to work on projects that _make a difference_ , things that could change something for the better. And she was going to do everything in her power to take advantage of this opportunity.

„Miss Watts,” J.A.R.V.I.S.’s voice brought her back to reality. „I will be glad to be able to work with you again. I enjoyed our conversations tremendously.”

„As did I,” Ida answered with a smile. „I’ll guess I’ll see you around then.”

***

**_ PRESENT DAY _ **

**_ WAKANDA _ **

Ida was still sitting next to Vision’s body, memories of her first conversations with J.A.R.V.I.S. suddenly more vivid in her memory than they have been in years. If only she knew back then how close they would have become, how important this friendship would turn out to be for her… but she couldn’t have known, nobody could have known. Truth is, not many people actually _did_ know. Tony, yes, and Bruce, because they were close to J.A.R.V.I.S. And maybe Randy, because of what happened; _of course_ he had to know. It felt a little strange at first to have an artificial intelligence as the closest and most caring friend in her entire life, but as soon as she accepted it for what it was she realized there was no difference to the nature of their relationship after all. They cared for each other, they spent time with each other, they helped each other. And they had so many conversations about what it was that made J.A.R.V.I.S. _himself_ , the way he processed emotions - because they never said he _felt_ it, it would have been inaccurate, but the way he _processed_ it? It was so human in the outcome, in the way it made him act, in the way it made him approach _her_. The few months she spent working on the Iron Legion were the happiest months of her entire life. Well, maybe excluding July, but that was entirely her fault. And Randy’s. And then… then it all ended and J.A.R.V.I.S. was gone.

And Vision was born and J.A.R.V.I.S. was there, somewhere, but it wasn’t him _at all_.

She took her phone out of her pocket and selected Bruce Banner’s number. It was time to get this over with. It will probably hurt to see him after all this, but she couldn’t help but think that it all led _here_. To Wakanda, to this project she was working on with Shuri, to rebuild Vision. The ultimate legacy Tony left her. Everything he taught her and everything she taught herself coming together to bring Vision back to life.

„Hey Bruce,” she said as soon as she heard him pick up. „How have you been?”

„Fine,” he answered with something light to his voice, something that made her both sad and happy at the same time. „Fine but busy. And you? Still cleaning up Tony’s mess?”

„You know it,” she smiled. „And about that mess. What details do you want me to give you?”

„Exactly how I remember you. Going straight to business, no time for small talk. Well, I would like to know why you need me if you could probably settle it all by yourself.”

„I’m flattered, Bruce, really, but it’s not that simple. You were the one working with Tony on Ultron. You do remember that I was involved with the Legion at this point and I don’t really understand how you applied the neural structure of the Stone to J… to J.A.R.V.I.S.,” she stuttered; it was still hard for her to just mention him casually in a conversation. „And since we don’t have the Stone anymore, we will need you to help us. You must have some documents leftover from that time. I couldn’t find anything in the archives.”

„Yeah, we wiped it so that nobody ever tried to make the same mistake. But I do have a copy. At least a partial one.”

„Great. If we have at least part of the network, we can recreate the rest. This way we will be able to bring Vision back to the exact moment he came to Shuri’s lab. So right before he was killed.”

„I do hope you know what you’re doing though.”

„We do. Shuri has done research so extensive I probably haven’t done half that much in my entire life. And she’s much younger than me. So yeah.”

Bruce laughed on the other side of the line, making Ida feel a little warmer.

„Sure, sure. I can be there in two days. I just need to wrap something up here and then I’m ready to go.”

„Great. We’re working on the body in the meantime. I’ll arrange with Shuri to bring you here in two days then.”

„Thanks. I will be nice to see you again, you know.”

„You as well. Talk to you soon.”

„You bet. Thanks.”

Ida disconnected from the call and put her phone back into her pocket. Sighing heavily, she looked at Vision’s facial features again, this time forcing herself to actually take it in. He’s not J.A.R.V.I.S., she kept repeating to herself. He is there, somewhere, but it’s not him. But it doesn’t matter. None of it was Vision’s fault and he deserved a second chance, a chance that they were miraculously able to give him. She would have done it for any other being, not only for the synthezoid. But something about this project seemed like she was doing it not only for Vision. It seemed like she was doing it for Tony, for Bruce.

But most of all, she was doing it for herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! I just love writing Tony. Every single line I came up with for him actually made me smile.  
> There will be more about Wanda and Clint in the next chapter. Also, Bruce is coming to Wakanda and there'll be even more feelings.


End file.
